Copper: The foundation of green energy

Copper is incredibly important if society is to reach the goals that we’ve set for ourselves and to grow our renewable energy network. This is because copper is used in so many different parts of renewable energy, driven by its inherent properties. Here are ten properties and uses that make copper vital for the green energy transition.

Solar power
Copper can be found in many places in solar power as its conductivity ensures efficient energy transfer from solar cells through to the grid. That’s why it’s in wiring, grounding and busbars (the system that connects equipment to each other in the solar power ecosystem).

Wind power
Like solar power, wind power also makes great use of copper. It is found in generators, wiring and control systems, again making use of its conductivity but also benefiting from its corrosion and fatigue resistance, allowing it to maintain performance in the long term across all weather outdoors, and its flexibility which helps it to be shaped into complex components such as windings. A typical 660kW wind turbine contains around 350kg of copper.

Hydropower
Hydropower provides a stable, dispatchable source of renewable energy and supports grid reliability by balancing intermittent sources like wind and solar. Copper’s corrosion resistance again plays an important part in hydropower. This is because it not only comes into contact with water but also a plethora of chemicals through the plants. Additionally, its thermal conductivity allows it to easily dissipate heat and prevents the systems in which it is used – like turbines, generators and electrical components of the plants themselves – from overheating.

Battery storage
Energy storage, and batteries, are absolutely key to the long-term, real-world success of renewable energy systems. Cloudy, windless days prevent renewable energy systems from producing energy, and on sunny, windy days more energy is produced than can possibly be used. Efficient battery storage, therefore, is vital to creating a balanced system – and central to those batteries is copper. Its electrical conductivity facilitates the flow of electrons and thermal conductivity prevents it from overheating during charging and discharging.

Smart grids
Smart grids are needed in order for the batteries to be able to distribute energy to the right places at the right time, providing energy when the grid is undersupplied and storing it when there is a surplus. Copper is needed for the infrastructure of smart grids which enable this efficient distribution and management. Reliable and durable for transmitting and distributing energy, it is used in a wide range of applications from transformers to sensors.

Electric vehicles
With the transportation sector accounting for over 15% of global energy transition, electrical vehicles are an important part of the energy transition. Again, making great use of copper through batteries and wiring, but also in motors, electrical vehicles contain copper for a variety of reasons. Its lightweight nature reduces overall weight and improves the efficiency of its energy use, whilst its high conductivity ensures good power delivery to motors and other components of the car. Electric vehicles use two to three times more copper than traditional vehicles.

Renewable energy transmission
As with all energy, renewable energy needs to be transmitted over long distances. High-voltage transmission lines, made with copper, are the vehicle that we use to do just that. Copper’s low resistance allows it to minimize energy lost over these distances whilst its flexible nature allows it to be used in any configuration that is needed.

Energy efficiency
The less energy we use, the less we need to create. In buildings and appliances, copper is used to create energy-efficient, long-lasting systems in our homes and our places of work. In this case, its high durability and connectivity makes copper the perfect choice.

Recycling
Copper is 100% recyclable, making it a more sustainable material once it has been extracted. It can be used ad infinitum without losing all the aforementioned properties that make it so versatile, meaning that requirements are driven by rising demand and not by the need to keep replacing what we already have. This makes it perfect for facilitating the energy transition.

Technical innovation
The innate versatility that makes it so important to all of the first nine points, and especially its conductivity, make copper an irreplaceable material for all future innovations in renewable energy technologies. That’s how we know that copper isn’t only important today, it’s important for the society we want to create in the future and beyond.

This is why we need to continue to mine copper, so that we can create the society in which we want to live. Without it, we cannot hope to reach our goals for the green energy transition.